how_tofandomcom-20200214-history
How to watch Netflix (Watch Instantly) in Linux
Note: There is NO simple solution to watching streaming movies via Netflix (Watch Instantly) in Linux. Netflix does NOT have a Linux compatible player. This is because they use Microsoft Silverlight plugin with DRM. Although there is a Linux alternative to Silverlight called Mono/Moonlight, it does not have any DRM built in and it is very unlikely Microsoft will ever make a DRM option for it. Netflix has stated they will not use anything without DRM. So if Netflix continues to use Silverlight, then there will be no Linux support. This how to works around this problem in a very non-ideal way. It relies on running Windows in Linux. If you have a Mid to High end system this howto will probably play Netflix fine. If your system is Low end or an older system, this how to will still work, but video will be choppy. Audio will probably be fine. =Special note= Netflix does not currently offer support for Linux (as of 8/2011), This how to is by NO means, in ANY way shape or form an official or supported way of running the Netflix: Watch Instantly feature natively in GNU/Linux. So the only way I have found to watch Netflix in Linux is by running a virtual machine. If you don't like it, complain to Netflix, not us. Their phone number is 1-866-716-0414 or you could sign the petition to add Linux support to Netflix. Petition to add Netflix "Watch Now" feature for Linux. Calling Netflix and signing the petition both is the best plan as the numerous times I've called has resulted in the call center person telling me that "...the more people who call and request linux as an option is noted by Netflix". =Other methods that DON'T work (as of 5/10/2011)= *Netflix streaming now on (a few) Android phones * Boxee (Boxee only supports Netflix on Boxee Boxes and on Windows.) * Wine, though a Netflix customer service rep said (on 11/7/2010) he had clients tell him they got it working in Wine, but they wouldn't support it * Mono/Moonlight =Other methods that may work= * Running a ChromeOS virtual machine, and use the Netflix plugin ** http://chromeos.hexxeh.net/vanilla.php ** Notes: It seem running a ChromeOS virtual machine requires a tremendous amount of resources. See this * Run the Android SDK's Android emulator, and run the Android Netflix app ** Android SDK ** Android SDK's emulator =Using Netflix in a Windows virtual machine= Using a virtual machine is a non-ideal solution, but it works. But if you have a Win-XP CD lying around its not so bad. Just think of it as running a really inefficient video player program, instead of a really backwards workaround. Requirements *Windows XP CD or ISO * Virtual Machine: Virtualbox * Microsoft Silverlight Installing #Install Virtualbox #*Ubuntu: http://www.virtualbox.org/wiki/Linux_Downloads #*Debian: http://www.virtualbox.org/wiki/Linux_Downloads #*Gentoo: emerge app-emulation/virtualbox #*Source: http://www.virtualbox.org/wiki/Downloads #Start Virtualbox #*Execute: sudo modprobe vboxdr #*Execute: VirtualBox & #Create WinXP virtual machine ##Click 'New' ##Click 'Next' ##*Name: Windows XP ##*OS Type: Windows XP ##Click 'Next' ##Base Memory Size: set as default ##Click 'Next' ##Click 'New...', to create a new virtual disk ##Click 'Next' ##Image Type: Dynamically.... ##Click 'Next' ##Image File Name: where ever you wish to have it ##Image Size: 5GB ##Click 'Finished' ##Click 'Next' ##Click 'Finished' #Install Windows XP onto the Virtual Machine ##Insert the 'Windows XP' install CD ##Click 'Start', to start the virtual machine ##This will boot the install CD in the virtual machine, install Windows XP on the virtual disk as you normally would #Open this page in the virtual machine. #Install required software and updates #* Update Windows to Service Pack 3 #** http://windowsupdate.microsoft.com #* Install Microsoft Silverlight #** http://silverlight.net/ # Go to Netflix and try view a video. # Install any other required plug-ins if requested =Results of systems using this how to= You can list your results here, Please include Video Frames (rendered/dropped) and Bitrate at full screen. To find this out Alt-Shift-Left Click, then click A/V Stats. Systems that have choppy playback. *1.6MHz Core 2 dual core CPU/512MB RAM alloted to the Virtual machine/Integrated Intel graphics chip **Video is a little choppy. Video Frames (rendered/dropped): 18/6 @ Bitrate: 500 @ Full Screen *3.3GHz P4 dual core CPU/256MB RAM alloted to the Virtual machine/nVidia GeForce FX 5200 video **Plays choppy *3.0GHz P4, 2GB ram (Kingston Hyperx; hyperthreading enabled); 1024MB alloted to the virtual machine, using a 512MB PCI express video card (Noveau driver; proprietary drivers unavailable). Using VMware player instead of Virtualbox (player is free and is full version) **Plays choppy Systems that work reasonably well *Intel 2.53GHZ Core 2 Duo, 512 MB Ram alloted to the VM. Integrated Video Card Intel GMA 4500MHD **Video is smooth playback is fine **Recommend switching your audio driver from pulseaudio to ALSA so you can get synchronous audio **For even better audio synchronization suspend pulse audio before opening the VM. **No 3D support installed on VM, but the other VBox tools are installed **Running the VM guest Windows 7 **In short this configuration works perfectly (aside from having it running it in a VM) **Solid State HD, not sure if this has anything to do with my performance. There is very little disk I/O so I'm tempted to say it has no real effect. **As of 2/11/2011 *Intel i7 2GHz, 4GB Ram (Allotted about 1.2 to XP host on VirtualBox) -> Activated Direct3D support for Guest and Installed Guest Additions **Watching Instantly in Full Screen, not choppy at all. *Intel® Core™ i7 CPU 950 @ 3.07GHz. Allocated 2GB Memory. 128Mb video memory. Works great. =Tips= * Increasing alloted memory from 512MB to 1GB doesn't seem to make any difference * Enabling 3D acceleration in VirtualBox does not enable GPU Acceleration in Silverlight * Enabling 3D acceleration in VirtualBox in conjunction with using the lastest WineD3D (1.3.16 or newer should work) will enable video acceleration in Silverlight and may allow for HD playback. * Decreasing VirtualBox's window size improves playback * Running Silverlight seems to play the same in Firefox and Internet Explorer * Playing at a lower Bitrate improves playback Category:Howto Category:Linux